I'm not Pregnant Anymore!

This isn't a blog about babies or mommys, so I can keep the birth story brief...but, then, I wouldn't be me if it were brief, so without further ado...

Having babies and being pregnant was not something I could ever imagine myself doing or being. As a little girl, while my friends were busy playing house and mom, I was outside playing horses and softball. I just never really wanted to be a mom. Well, of course, all of that changes...I grew up, met Brian, got married and naturally, decided it would be an awesome idea to have a baby. SIGH!

Fast forward through nine months of pregnancy to September 14, 2011. I went to work that morning feeling just fine, but then around noon, something changed. I felt off. Not bad, just off. I spent my workday cleaning my desk and finalizing some work details in preparation for my impending maternity leave. I felt fine physically, but I did notice that I had dropped quite a bit (my belly, that is). Towards the end of my workday, I started getting crampy. Stupidly, I brushed it off as Braxton Hicks. I left work and as I was driving home, my cramps started getting worse. I began to wonder about them. My commute is usually about an hour long due to traffic. Of course, on this day, traffic was a bitch! Then, it happened...a cramp (contraction) that nearly sent me careening off the road! Holy crap, but it hurt. That put a fear into me about what was to come, so tearfully,  I called my husband, Brian, to tell him he might want to head home..."I think I'm in labor" I sobbed.

I admit that I was already crying very early on in my labor. That contraction hurt, and I just knew I was in for a treat that evening. I'd also like to add that I have a pretty low pain threshold...OUCHYWAWA!

Anyway, I got home and spent the evening timing my pains. I took 2 baths and tried everything and anything to relieve the contractions that were coming about every 5 minutes. By the time I was crawling around the living room floor on all fours, in semi panicked agony (yes, it was that dramatic). I'd also like to say that while I was suffering so, Brian was busy NESTING. Yes, he was cleaning the damn house! Anyway, it was decided, despite the triage nurses' advice over the phone, that we needed to head to the hospital (30 miles away) before I got anymore theatrical (but it hurrrrt).

We got to the hospital at about 11:00 at night. I was checked and at about 1 cm' 100% effaced (still not exactly sure what that means, and yes, I am talking about my lady bits on my blog- sorry).

Anyway, the triage nurse was a bit smug about my lack of progress, "don't worry, honey," she pointed out to me, "you have nothing to compare this to." Grrr. She was just sure I'd be sent home.

An hour later, I was at 3 cm and admitted...at that point, I was very EAGER to have an epidural. So, I was admitted and after what seemed like an eternity, got my blessed epidural. After the epidural, I remember my mom showing up, I also remember feeling strange, almost like I was in a dream...I was also getting a bit nervous about what I was about to do. Push.a.baby.out.of.my....you know what! Time flew by, the whole night was a blur.

It turns out that my contractions were so fast and so strong that the baby's heart rate was dropping almost to a stop with each one. I had an audience of at least 6 Doctors, nurses, med students (one very cute one who sat in the spot of honor the whole time...oy vey, to add to my misery) and a whole berage of other hospital staff walking in and out to the lovely sight of my spread eagled self...yes, it was terribly embarrasing, but frankly, I didn't care too much at that point.

.... A few hours later, and I was ready to go. I felt some strong urges to...oh my gosh, push. My blasted Dr. insisted on turning my epidural down so that I could push properly, despite my strong request to NOT FEEL A THING. Ugh, I felt it all right and that's all that I'm going to say about that because I'm sure you get the idea. I pushed for over 2 hours and finally out popped a 6 lb 6 oz little baby girl...so tiny and wee. Anyway, little Josephine Lynn (Josie) was born at 5:36 a.m. on September 15, 2011. She is so loved!

Nobody can prepare you for the craziness that ensues after a baby arrives. The whole experience was utter madness and it's something that I'm still adjusting to. It's a feeling of love so intense that it breaks your heart but it's also fear, worry and a whole plethora of other very strange and intense feelings, wonderful and not so wonderful. I am also mourning a freedom I won't see again for many years (like leaving the house on a whim).

So that's my big update...I AM NO LONGER PREGNANT!